


Through the Looking Glass

by silkiemae



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-05-19 01:42:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 8,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14864247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkiemae/pseuds/silkiemae
Summary: “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”― Lewis Carroll, Alice Through the Looking Glass---"I watched you for months in the darkness. While they kept me locked in their prisons and while I waited for the ultimate punishment for someone as damned as me, I watched you. And, I think I might've fallen in love with you."'I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose.''





	1. .00

The prisons in Asgard were meant to be dreadful. Asgard was a place of warmth and promise—the prisons were cold and unpleasant. Clearly, they never planned on holding a Frost Giant there—after all the son of Laufey was their current captive. Loki sat on a slab of rock gazing out into the open space surrounding his little island. The Bifröst was closed, and wouldn’t open unless Odin or Thor decided to pay Loki a visit—which they often did. Loki dreaded these visits, for they were simple reminders of why he had ended up in this cell, all because Odin thought he could use him as a bargaining chip.  
  
He had been waiting for what felt like decades for them to come up with a reasonable punishment for someone such as he. A punishment fit for a king, he liked to think. After all, he _was_ the rightful king of Asgard—Thor didn’t deserve such responsibility, and yet he sat at _Loki’s_ throne, and commanded _Loki’s_ people.  
  
The subtle shift in air and temperature woke him up to a familiar presence. He turned and found his brother strutting toward him on the newly built Bifröst. He admired his brother for a moment, hating him for the way he held himself. For that pride and that crown on his head. That was _his_ crown, and the sharp memory of that betrayal hit him like the hand of his ‘father’.  
  
“Loki,” Thor spoke and his voice echoed everywhere. He stopped as he passed the prison’s barriers and stood mere inches away from his brother.  
  
“Brother,” Loki murmured tiredly, forcing himself to stand and face Thor. “Have you finally found a punishment suitable for me? Or have you just come to gloat?”  
  
Loki flaunted his grin as he watched his brother absorb his insults and relished in his pain. “Neither. I’ve brought you a gift.”  
  
“A gift?” Disbelief colored his voice as his brother pulled a long, oval object out of thin air. He threw it out into open air and it struck something solid and righted itself, taking form. Loki stepped toward the object and saw he—blue eyes and pain creasing his brow. He quickly righted that expression and forced it into something cold, something cruel and uncaring. “What is this?”  
  
“It’s a mirror. It allows you to watch anyone you would like, father thought it might give you some perspective.”  
  
“This is the only punishment you can come up with? This is pathetic,” Loki snarled, refusing to take his eyes from the mirror, lest something jump out and grab him. But all he could see was his own morose reflection.  
  
“We shall see, brother.”  
  
Loki turned then, sharply only to find an empty space behind him. His brother had disappeared and left the mirror. He returned his gaze to the mirror and took a step closer to it, placing his palm on the glass-surface. The words meant for Thor still hung empty on his lips.  
  


_We are not brothers._

 


	2. .01

Loki soon learned that he only had to speak to the mirror, and it would show him what he wanted. A name, a place, if he truly wanted he could watch fish swimming around mindlessly. He watched his brother; he watched Thor sit on the throne of Asgard and the contempt within him left a bitter taste. Thor sat with his chin resting upon his fist, and his mouth was set in a thin line. Loki didn’t care what he was thinking about, he didn’t want to think but he, of course, was curious as to whether Thor was thinking of him. Perhaps he was thinking of his little human friend, Jane. A sudden thought of ripping the girl in half in front of Thor flashed before his eyes and he smiled, pleased. He waved away the image and pondered for a moment that which he should look upon. But the answer was very simple, he nearly laughed out loud at how easy that answer would be. Who else would he want to watch; after all he had all this time to plot his revenge.  
  
He snarled and sat on the stone slab, folding his fingers in his lap. “Show me the _Avengers_.”  
  


  
  
The room was completely black when Tony opened his eyes. He glanced around the darkness, sighing and sitting up, the glowing chest plate keeping him alive lighting his way. “Jarvis, open the shutters. Just…be gentle.”  
  
“Of course, sir.” Tony sat facing the shutters, waiting and bracing himself for the sun to blind him. He was, however, shocked to find that the sun hadn’t even risen yet. “An early start to the day is always a good thing, sir.”  
  
“Not when tequila is your only company.” Tony glanced at the empty side of his bed and sighed loudly. Pepper was in D.C. again for some important thing or another. He didn’t really care, it was just the fact that she was gone that was bothering him. “Alright, let’s get to work.”  
  
Tony headed to his workshop after pulling on a pair of black track pants and a grey t-shirt. He pulled up the hologram of the new Stark Industries landscape and toyed around with a few ideas before quickly becoming bored. The sound of hammering above notified him to the construction workers, a momentary surge of anger shook his bones. It had taken so damn long to get Stark Industries to what it had been and while the destruction of it gave him the chance to make it even better…he still wanted to punch the horned god who had caused its destruction in the face.  
  
“Sir, Mr. Banner is in the lobby. Shall I let him up?” Although, the rage monster had done enough for all of their little team.  
  
“Sure,” Tony shrugged while heading to the elevator. It opened just as he reached it and Bruce Banner stepped out with a paper bag and a portfolio tucked under his arm. “What did you bring me this time? It better not be Shwarma’s. I couldn’t get off the toilet for a week after that.”  
  
Bruce merely raised his eyebrows before shoving the bag at him. “It’s donuts. You know, normal breakfast food.”  
  
“Is that what that is?” Tony plunged his hand into the bag and pulled out a glazed donut. “What brings you to my little abode, Bruce-y?” Tony spoke with the donut between his teeth, and somehow managed to be heard.  
  
“Pepper called me last week and told me to come, remember? You made a comment about leaving the green giant behind.” Bruce paused for a moment before speaking again, “Clint and Natasha are out on assignment, or so Fury told me.”  
  
“And Captain Crunch?”  
  
“Who knows?”  
  
Tony chuckled at his own joke before nodding in agreement. “Right, right. I wanted to show you, and the rest of our power rangers the new outlay for Stark Industries.” Tony then proceeded to pull up a hologram of the building once more to show to Bruce when Loki flipped the channel.  
  


  
  
There was a man in a white t-shirt beating a punching bag into a bloody pulp. Behind him stood a woman with hair the color of dark chocolate and eyes almost a frightening emerald green. The space between her eyebrows was creased with worry as she watched the man—she had seen him upset before but watching him show that anger, so mercilessly was frightening.  
  
She hesitated before walking over to the man. She timidly reached out a hand to touch him but just as her fingers grazed his back the punching bag flew off its hinges and smashed against the wall. She yelped, and jumped back. The man turned around just as quickly his eyes wide and his mouth popped open.  
  
“Hayley, I’m so sorry, I had no idea-“  
  
Hayley smiled, closing her eyes and laughing at herself. “It’s fine, Steve! I shouldn’t have snuck up on you.” She paused for a moment, admiring his sweat-drenched body. She let out a low sigh before speaking again. “Are you ready to go home?”  
  
She closed the distance between the two and stood on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. Steve smiled at her before pressing his lips to her nose and nodding. “Yeah, let’s go home.”  
  
Loki waved away the image on the mirror and leaned back on his stone slab utterly bored.

 


	3. .02

Hayley sat on the couch in her two-bedroom apartment and flipped mindlessly through the channels, much like Loki was doing with his mirror. There was just nothing good to watch. Hayley was alone in the apartment, Jessica was out shopping with her girlfriend and Steve was doing some good deed, she was sure of it.  
  
Steve had come into her life completely unexpectedly, and he was that safety net she had thought she would always want. He wasn’t pushy, and he never asked anything of her. He was content to sit beside her and watch movies all the time. He was like that incredibly masculine gay friend who you kiss every once in awhile. She couldn’t blame him really, it wasn’t like she was putting it out there and after all he was like an eighty year old virgin. Though you’d assume he’d try any chance he could.  
  
But he didn’t, and though Hayley thought that would be something she would like, she found herself unsatisfied. She was used to every boy she’d been with trying to get into her pants. It wasn’t like they were romantic about it. They just started sucking her face and putting their hands down her pants—of course she was going to look for someone who wasn’t acting like a hormonal boy.  
  
Now she found herself wishing he would try to get into her pants. He was so unbelievably beautiful, that at times she thought about simply throwing herself at him. But he was a gentleman and he would want it to be special. That should be sweet but it merely made her want to throw up.  
  
When she finally realized there was nothing to watch on television she went to the refrigerator and searched for something to eat. She did this about seven times, going back and forth between pantry and fridge only to discover that there was nothing she wanted in this house. She groaned, and picked up the phone to order take out.  
  
Out of sheer boredom she started cleaning the apartment. Throwing dirty clothes into their respective hampers, and actually putting away the DVD’s that were strewn around their coffee table. She even started doing the dishes when someone buzzed her alarm. She went, without thinking to let them in.  
  
She had her money ready, and she opened the door to pay the delivery guy only to have a pair of enormous hands grasp either side of her face and then someone was kissing her. She let it sink in for a moment, and it was nice. But then she shoved the guy away, ready to kick him somewhere painful when she recognized his face.  
  
“ _Steve_?” He smiled sheepishly at her and she let him in. “Steve, what are you doing here?”  
  
“I wanted to see you,” he answered simply. She was actually furious with herself from stopping him from kissing her in that moment. That was the most shocking thing he had ever done, and the closest—she expected—that he would ever come to trying to get down her pants.  
  
She sat down beside him on then, and curled up into a ball against his chest. “I thought you were going to be busy tonight,” she murmured trying to press herself as close to him as possible.  
  
“I was but I-“ the doorbell rang and Steve jumped up. “I’ll get it!” Hayley internally groaned and laid her head back against the couch. This was just never going to happen was it?

 


	4. .03

It had been weeks since Loki was given the mirror, though time seemed to pass a bit more slowly on Asgard than down on Midgard—Earth. Loki spent most of his time flipping between the Avengers but he found himself watching more and more of the soldier, or rather, the soldier’s lady-friend. She did not seem to belong in such a world. Thor had become friends with a mortal by the name of Jane, and yet even she seemed to be in the right place with Thor. But Loki could sense a sort of longing in the soldier’s friend. Hayley, was her name.  
  
The weeks passed and he watched her, and waited for what felt like an eternity for something to happen. Something did happen, though. Something much better than he expected…though at first, he was mortified.  
  
He soon realized, that his death was not to come. In fact, he was about to be given a second chance. A chance to take back what was his—but first he must seek his revenge on those who had imprisoned him. His savior had no quarrels with that.  
  


  
  
Natasha strode into the control room of the newly built S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. Clint met her at the entrance and the look he gave her immediately told her something was wrong. She didn’t have to catch the look in Fury’s good eye to see that, either.  
  
The room was full, she recognized the Captain, Stark, Dr. Banner and even the demi-god Thor. They were all sitting around the large circular table, or rather some were sitting, others were pacing. Only Tony Stark looked like he was glad to be there.  
  
“What’s happened?” As Natasha spoke her eyes stayed on Thor. She knew this was something big if they brought in the big guns.  
  
“Loki’s escaped,” Fury said, turning to face the group. His eyes lingered on Thor and he took the cue. He stepped up to the center of the room and stared intently at each and every one of the ‘Avengers’.  
  
“When I went to visit my brother, I found the guards stationed there killed and his prison cell gone.”  
  
“Gone?” Clint asked, bewildered. “How can a prison cell just disappear?”  
  
“Our cells are not like yours. They float along the Bifröst to deter escape.”  
  
“Well, clearly that didn’t work out,” Stark said, slouching even lower in his chair.  
  
“Who do you think could’ve taken him,” the Captain said, his sharp eyes shifting between Stark and Thor.  
  
“Any number of beings. The Frost Giants could’ve rescued him, or even the Chitauri. I assume they’d want to punish him for his failure.”  
  
“Then why are you here?” Natasha was growing tired, if there was no world domination scheme happening here she had better things to do. She stood up, prepared to leave the room.  
  
“Because we need to know if he didn’t break out on his own—and if he did, his next stop is probably on Earth. Don’t you think he’d want to seek a little stone cold vengeance on the ones who locked him up in the first place?” Fury said, stopping Natasha with a steely gaze. “We need to be careful, and Thor’s here to help us in case he decides to show his horned head again.”  
  
“Fine, but until then, I’ve got more important things to do then sit and play watchdog.”  
  


  
  
Hayley left the convenience store hardly able to see between the stacks of paper bags in her arms. She struggled with the weight nearly tripping over herself as she attempted to turn a corner and walk the very short distance back to her apartment.  
  
However, that limited space between those paper bags did not allow her to see the man on her left side and she knocked into him, sending several of the bags sprawling across the sidewalk. She cursed, and bent down ungracefully to retrieve its contents. She wasn’t expecting the man to help her, she had muttered a half-hearted ‘sorry’ after knocking him down but was too upset with herself to truly care.  
  
She glanced up at the man only seeing a head of dark hair, picking up the retreating canned goods and returning them to their designated bags. She couldn’t help but smile to herself and do the same. When the two had finished putting the items back, she stood and tried to balance the bags she carried so she could accept the others from him.  
  
“Thank you so much, I’m so sorry for knocking into you. I couldn’t really see,” she said, her words mushing together as she fought to speak quickly. Steve was going to be home any minute and she really wanted an attempt at regaining that smidgen of passion she had seen earlier.  
  
“It’s no trouble, but…why don’t you let me help you carry these. If I leave you now you’re just going to drop them again.” He flashed her a smile, and she was momentarily caught dumbfounded. He had the _brightest_ blue eyes she had ever seen.  
  
She thought for a moment how good an idea it would be to allow a stranger up to her apartment, but…it was an apartment. If anything happened, someone would hear her and Steve was probably home, if not close by. She shrugged and accepted his offer, prattling on about nonsense and the weather while they rode the elevator to her apartment floor.  
  
When they got there she juggled with the bags and her keys, the man keeping a watchful eye so she didn’t drop everything once again. He walked in with her and helped her set everything down. Hayley let out a long sigh before turning and smiling at him.  
  
“Thanks. I’m Hayley, by the way, I didn’t get your name.”  
  
The man smiled at her, and she finally got a good look at him. He was a giant. He towered over her and yet she felt at his level when he met her eyes. They were still that freakishly bright blue, and his hair was dark and smoothed back. His cheekbones were sharp enough to cut. “Loki,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.  
  
“That’s a really interesting name,” she laughed. “Like the Norse gods right? God of…Mischief?”  
  
“That’s right,” Loki, said, another smile on his face. “You know your mythology.”  
  
Hayley nodded, before glancing at the clock. “I really hate to do this, Loki, but my boyfriend is going to be home any minute and I wanted to make him dinner….”  
  
“No need to say another word, I’ll get out of your hair. I look forward to seeing you again, Hayley.”  
  
It wasn’t until after Loki had left that Hayley thought the named sound familiar—and not just in the aspect that she had read it in a book somewhere.

 


	5. .04

Hayley’s arm was in Steve’s grip and she was panicking. He was dragging her down the hallways of Stark Industries, his pace quick and demanding and she was too in shock to say anything to question him. She had never seen Steve act this way; so angry and aggressive. A spark of excitement had initially flushed in her stomach at first, thinking that maybe he was jealous of her new found male friend. But when he told her to grab her coat that excitement turned into an icy grip.  
  
The drive to Stark Industries was silent and tense, and Hayley desperately wanted to ask Steve what was wrong but she had never seen his eyes burn that darkly, nor had she ever seen his shoulders clenched that tightly. He dragged her up to the top floor of the building, and they rushed through the elevator. No one was in the room but Steve rushed to the wall and pressed a few buttons on the screen there.  
  
Tony Stark was a genius; he was some weapon engineer who now had dedicated his career to some different type of scheme. Either way, she had no idea what she was doing in his building. Steve was pacing in front of the elevator rapidly waiting for something. Finally, she thought she’d speak.  
  
“Steve,” she said, noticing her speech was still slightly slurred. The wine hadn’t completely left her system yet, but Steve had forced her to drink almost a gallon of water to flush it out of her and now she had to pee incredibly badly. Steve looked at her and she cleared her throat. “Steve, what the hell is going on?”  
  
Steve took a deep breath and walked over to her. Hayley knew almost everything there was to know about Steve. She knew that he was a super soldier called Captain America. She knew that he was part of something called the Avenger Initiative. She even knew that he often risked his life in the name of good vs. evil.  
  
“Hayley, this is bad, and I know you know that. You just need to clear your head and remember what I told you about the last time Loki was here.”  
  
“The last time Loki was here? What the hell are you talking about?” But just as she asked it clicked. There were other people that belonged to that Avenger Initiative; Tony Stark was one among many. But that brief moment of recognition she had experience with Loki seemed to splash through her mind like a tidal wave.  
  
She had heard the name before and not from a Norse Mythology book. There was a man, or rather a god, who was also a part of the Avengers. His name was Thor and he had a brother, a brother who had tried to take over the world the last time he was here, and his name was Loki.  
  
“Oh,” she murmured as everything snapped into place. How had she forgotten something as crucial as this? She had seen pictures of Loki before, she knew what he looked like and she knew exactly what he was capable of and yet she showed him into her home. “I think I need to sit down.”

 


	6. .05

Hayley’s arm was in Steve’s grip and she was panicking. He was dragging her down the hallways of Stark Industries, his pace quick and demanding and she was too in shock to say anything to question him. She had never seen Steve act this way; so angry and aggressive. A spark of excitement had initially flushed in her stomach at first, thinking that maybe he was jealous of her new found male friend. But when he told her to grab her coat that excitement turned into an icy grip.  
  
The drive to Stark Industries was silent and tense, and Hayley desperately wanted to ask Steve what was wrong but she had never seen his eyes burn that darkly, nor had she ever seen his shoulders clenched that tightly. He dragged her up to the top floor of the building, and they rushed through the elevator. No one was in the room but Steve rushed to the wall and pressed a few buttons on the screen there.  
  
Tony Stark was a genius; he was some weapon engineer who now had dedicated his career to some different type of scheme. Either way, she had no idea what she was doing in his building. Steve was pacing in front of the elevator rapidly waiting for something. Finally, she thought she’d speak.  
  
“Steve,” she said, noticing her speech was still slightly slurred. The wine hadn’t completely left her system yet, but Steve had forced her to drink almost a gallon of water to flush it out of her and now she had to pee incredibly badly. Steve looked at her and she cleared her throat. “Steve, what the hell is going on?”  
  
Steve took a deep breath and walked over to her. Hayley knew almost everything there was to know about Steve. She knew that he was a super soldier called Captain America. She knew that he was part of something called the Avenger Initiative. She even knew that he often risked his life in the name of good vs. evil.  
  
“Hayley, this is bad, and I know you know that. You just need to clear your head and remember what I told you about the last time Loki was here.”  
  
“The last time Loki was here? What the hell are you talking about?” But just as she asked it clicked. There were other people that belonged to that Avenger Initiative; Tony Stark was one among many. But that brief moment of recognition she had experience with Loki seemed to splash through her mind like a tidal wave.  
  
She had heard the name before and not from a Norse Mythology book. There was a man, or rather a god, who was also a part of the Avengers. His name was Thor and he had a brother, a brother who had tried to take over the world the last time he was here, and his name was Loki.  
  
“Oh,” she murmured as everything snapped into place. How had she forgotten something as crucial as this? She had seen pictures of Loki before, she knew what he looked like and she knew exactly what he was capable of and yet she showed him into her home. “I think I need to sit down.”

 


	7. .06

The elevator door sprang open and a very grumpy looking Tony Stark came through the doors. Two others accompanied him, Hayley couldn’t place names to their faces. She had seen them before; the angry man with an eye patch was hard to forget. “Director Fury,” Steve said, stretching out his hand to the angry looking man. Fury took his hand and nodded curtly, before shooting a sharp glance at Hayley.  
  
She immediately felt small and insignificant.  
  
“What’s so urgent, Crunch?” Tony said, stretching and sitting beside Hayley. He carelessly through his arm around the couch behind her, and when she glanced at him, he winked.  
  
Steve looked at Hayley before clearing his throat. “Hayley told me…well, she says that Loki is back.”  
  
“Fantastic,” said the other man. “Looks like Thor was right, and now he’s already back in Asgard, how are we going to get him back here?” Almost as if on cue, there was a clap of thunder and all the men in the room glanced up at the glass roof. “I spoke too soon,” muttered the other man who was shuffling uneasily now.  
  
“Bruce, why don’t you go and check to see if we have any unscheduled visitors,” Fury said, moving to sit across from Hayley. She stared into his angry face and noticed an almost imperceptible movement in his features. He almost looked sympathetic, but that permanent scowl did not make him any easier to speak to. “Hayley, when Loki approached you, what did he say?”  
  
Hayley swallowed and tried to think if there was any hidden meaning behind Loki’s conversation with her, but truly, all he did was help her with her groceries and she said as much to Fury. She continued to pick her brain. He was able to erase her previous memories of him, so perhaps he was able to erase the ones now. “He just said that he was looking forward to seeing me again, and then he left.”  
  
Fury nodded and a few moments later, Bruce came back drenched with a giant of a man with long blonde hair and a large hammer in his hand. Hayley recognized him immediately. Her small and insignificant feeling intensified, even as the elevator sprang open for a second time and two others walked in.  
  
“Natasha, Clint, Thor was right. Loki is back.”  
  
Natasha rolled her eyes. “Great.”  
  


  
  
Steve took Hayley home after they had finished questioning her. She was useless to them, however, because all Loki had done was help her with her groceries. He had been kind to her even, and though they tried hard to find ulterior motives behind his helpful hand, they could not. Hayley was sluggish and the after effects of the wine and the adrenaline from being in a room filled with heroes were starting to wear on her.  
  
She immediately headed for her bedroom but Steve caught her arm. “Hayley,” he said softly, and she immediately melted under his gaze. He looked like a sad puppy, and she wanted nothing more than to hold him. “Hayley, I’m sorry, that things have been so messed up lately. I swear, once we settle this, I’ll make it up to you.”  
  
Hayley merely smiled before lifting herself up and planting a firm kiss on Steve’s mouth. “Come on, let’s go to bed.” She took his hand and pulled her along with him, she didn’t care that he looked away as she took her dress off, nor did she mind when he pulled the bed sheets up to cover her chest. It was just nice to feel his arms around her as she fell asleep.


	8. .07

While Steve had left to tend to Hayley, the others hung around, contemplating what Loki could possibly be intending. Thor had returned to them, with a grave face and seemed to be having an inner battle with himself. But the rest of them continued to argue while Clint and Natasha sat silently, watching, talking amongst them.  
  
“There’s something I feel you should know,” Thor suddenly announced, his voice booming among the already raucous chatter. They quickly quieted and Thor stepped where they could all see him. “When I returned to Asgard I assisted in the search of Loki’s prison—it had returned to us overnight which is why I had to return. Everything was as it had been, there were no traces Loki had ever even been there.”  
  
“So? It’s not like you were going to make the place homey for him,” Natasha said, crossing her arms over her chest firmly. Fury shot her a sharp glance.  
  
“As a temporary punishment, my father had me present him with a mirror.”  
  
“Good one, if I had to stare at that ugly mug all day, I’d probably go insane as well,” Tony said, earning another sharp glance.  
  
“The mirror can be used as a sort of portal, one where you can watch whomever you’d like. We suspect he’d been using it to watch you, to perhaps plot his revenge. But father insisted that we leave it with him, if he stared into it long enough perhaps he would finally see the damage he caused. But I think that he was proud of that damage, and watching it just filled him with joy.  
  
“The mirror was taken, it was the only missing object in the portal.” Thor finished, and waited for them to realize what it could possibly mean. It took a little longer than he had expected but he waited patiently.  
  
“So you’re telling me, that Loki can watch us wherever we are? Whenever he wants?” Clint made a face of disgust, when suddenly everyone got the same idea.  
  
“Ew, I knew Loki was a lot of things but I never thought of him as a pervert.” Again, Tony received another look of disapproval from his peers, but amused nonetheless.  
  
“I think what Thor is trying to say is that Loki can watch us whenever he wants, which means he knows our every move before we even make it. Loki is even more dangerous than he’s ever been, and we need to be on our toes.” Fury said, standing at the head of the group, with his arms crossed behind his back. “Loki obviously has something planned for Hayley, or else he wouldn’t have approached her. She’s currently with Steve but when he can’t be with her, one of us needs to be. She needs to be guarded until we can deal with this.”  
  
Everyone nodded in agreement then, conversing amongst themselves until finally the group dispersed.

 


	9. .08

Hayley woke up some time late the next day. There was emptiness beside her and when she glanced over she realized it was because Steve was gone. She sat up rubbing her eyes, and when she pulled away her hand it was covered in makeup. She groaned, making her way to the bathroom across the hall when she smelled something strangely close to syrup. She frowned, forgetting the mess on her face and went to the kitchen instead.  
  
Steve was bustling back and forth between the stove and kitchen counter, oven mitts on his hands and batter stains on his grey t-shirt. “Steve?”  
  
He turned around a surprised expression on his handsome face. He smiled at her, glancing down at the mass pile of pancakes he had obviously made. He grinned sheepishly, before taking the oven mitts off and walking over to her. “Do you think I went a little overboard?”  
  
Hayley simply shook her head, silenced by shock. She didn’t know why it was so surprising that Steve would make her breakfast but there was a sudden warmth welling in her gut. “I wanted to make it up to you about last night. I know you worked hard and I ruined it. So…I’m hoping you like my pancakes and maybe you and I can spend the day together.”  
  
“I’d like that,” she murmured, a small smile creeping on her face. They sat together at the kitchen counter and munched on the dozens of pancakes Steve had made. They were a little undercooked, but Hayley didn’t mind. She happily ate them and then headed to the bathroom to shower.  
  
“I’m going to run an errand,” Steve called through the door. “I’ll be back by the time you’re ready to go.”  
  
“Okay,” Hayley called in return, shampooing her hair with raspberry scents. Finally she exited the bathroom with a cream towel wrapped around her and headed into the bedroom. But she cried out the second she did and nearly dropped the towel.  
  
Loki was standing beside her desk; gazing at all the photos collaborated on the board above it. He was still in casual garments, a black button down shirt and a pair of slacks—but now that she knew who he was, it was odd to see him such clothes.  
  
“These are lovely,” he murmured, turning to face him and she was once again struck by how blue his eyes were. “I see you’ve got your memories back, not that you have many of me anyway.” He looked temporarily annoyed by this, and just as quickly his façade turned to one of pleasantries.  
  
“What do you want?” Hayley whispered, clutching her towel even closer to her. Loki smiled and closed the distance between the two, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.  
  
“There are many things I would like. Revenge is currently at the top of my list, however. Do you think your soldier would like to find his lady in bits across his bedroom?” Hayley swallowed thickly, her heartbeat speeding up rapidly. Loki smiled, glancing down at the swell of her chest as she inhaled quickly. “Don’t worry, I’ve been watching you. You and the rest of the Avengers and their lovers. You interest me most of all.”  
  
He walked away from her then, but she refused to move lest it anger him. She had no idea what type of power a demigod possessed, but she assumed it must be endless.  
  
“Why’s that?” As she spoke he ran his fingers along various things in her room, pausing at a photograph of Hayley and Steve embracing. He lifted the photo from its position on the wall and brought it over to her.  
  
“Because even though you’re with a man who is not like any of the mortals in this world you still seem unsatisfied. Why is that?”  
  
Hayley blanched, unsure of how to answer it. She knew why she was unsatisfied, but Steve could hardly be blamed for that. He was a gentleman. But as Loki spoke her gut shuddered, and she wanted nothing more than to find Steve and throw him down on the bed, and then another thought occurred to her. But she quickly shoved it from her mind and clutched her towel closer to her.  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice shaking. Loki smiled maliciously.  
  
“I think you do. But I can wait.” He backed away from her and as she blinked he disappeared.


	10. .09

Steve came into the room moments after Loki had disappeared. Hayley still had her towel wrapped tightly around her, and the water dripping from her hair felt like ice as it trickled down her spine. She heard him calling out her name but she couldn’t bring herself to answer, and then the door to her bedroom opened and the gush of cold air it brought snapped her back to her senses.  
  
She turned slowly, and Steve caught an expression on her that she didn’t know she was wearing. He frowned and somehow managed to blush at the same time. Damn him for being such a gentleman that he blushes in the presence of an underdressed woman. She couldn’t even manage to roll her eyes at him however, because she was close to a panic attack.  
  
“Loki was here,” she whispered and the color drained from Steve’s face. She almost regretted telling him, however, because she was afraid she was about to face another evening in Stark’s living room.  
  
However he simply asked her to tell him what happened and when she finished he phoned Fury and recalled everything back to him. He hung up and made his way to the couch where Hayley sat, now dressed in Steve’s overly large sweatshirt.  
  
“Fury and some of the others are coming by to sweep the place…so I want you to go and get dressed, and I’m going to take you out. It’ll be like this never even happened, alright?” Steve placed his thumb gently on her chin and kissed her forehead, before giving her a gentle nudge toward the bedroom.  
  
She was irritated nonetheless, but still, the idea of leaving the apartment was nice. Especially if it meant she would be somewhat alone with Steve. They hadn’t had a date together in what felt like a lifetime. After a few moments she emerged with slightly damp hair and an emerald green dress wrapped with a thin black belt. She slipped on a pair of black pumps, swiped some eyeliner and red lipstick on and ran out.  
  
They managed to get out the door just as Fury arrived with Clint and Natasha. With a curt nod they slipped inside the apartment.  
  


  
  
Steve took Hayley out dancing. It wasn’t at a club, and it wasn’t the type of dancing she was used to but it was quite nice. They were at a restaurant, one that had an orchestra of a band and a large dance floor where several other couples sashayed around. Steve didn’t do any fancy moves, rather than just hold her close to him and swayed. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and the other wrapped around her hand. He held her hand close to his chest and hummed along to the music and Hayley couldn’t help but melt.  
  
They stayed like that for some time until finally they sat down at their table and ordered their meals. “So, dancing?”  
  
“Yes…” Steve murmured, toying with the wine glass. “It was something I’d always wanted to do back before… It was just something on my bucket list.”  
  
Hayley smiled nodding and taking a sip of her wine. She glanced out at the dance floor and nearly spilled her wine all down her front. For a moment she had thought she saw Loki standing there, beckoning her. But when she blinked he was gone. She cleared her throat suddenly, smoothing down her skirt.  
  
“Excuse me,” she murmured, standing and dropping her napkin to the ground. She didn’t catch the concerned glance Steve shot her way; all she was worried about was making it to the bathroom. It was as though something was pulling her there and when she finally got there, and closed the door she realized something truly was pulling her there.


	11. .10

The moment the door to the bathroom shut behind her it was like everything was put on mute. She could no longer hear the small band playing their music, nor could she hear the idle chatter among the restaurant’s recipients. It was just silence, aside from the odd bathroom stall creaking or the occasionally drip of water from a leaky faucet.  
  
She glanced around the bathroom, noticing that she was completely alone. This was good. She stepped forward, and glanced in the mirror not missing the look of utter exhaustion on her face. It didn’t make sense considering all she had done lately was sleep. But there were the dark circles under her eyes, and the deep creases around her mouth.  
  
Taking a moment to survey her appearance in the mirror, she smoothed out her hair and then splashed cold water on her face. It woke her up a considerable amount but when she glanced back up to the mirror she let out a startled yelp. Loki stood behind her, but not in the usual attire she was used to. He wore a suit made of emerald green with stripes of gold, and a helmet with long horns. Somehow this didn’t make him seem silly to her, but rather a thousand times more frightening.  
  
She glanced behind her, and saw nothing. When she returned her gaze to the mirror however, he was there. So close to her that she could feel his breathe on her skin, and yet he was not there.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Don’t worry, you’re alone. But I can still touch you—I could hurt you if I wanted and no one would ever know I was there.” As he spoke she felt a cold finger trace the skin exposed on her back. She shuddered, and closed her eyes, willing him away.  
  
“What do you want?”  
  
His fingers were in her hair now, and a strange chill went down her spine. “No, no, darling. It’s not time for you to know just yet.” Then his fingers were pulling, pulling until she was forced to bring her head back and she could see those fierce blue eyes above her own. He was there for real now, and her heart went wild.  
  
She didn’t noticed the whimper that escaped her lips but Loki did, and his eyes flashed with an emotion she couldn’t understand. He released his hold on her then, placing his hands on her shoulders. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and murmured, “Now, go out there and act as if nothing is wrong. I’ll see you soon, darling.”  
  
He was gone then and she felt as if she had just been put under a very warm ventilation system—all the cold in the air had left with Loki. His visits were random and never seemed to have a meaning but for a moment she thought she understood what he was trying to tell her. He could be everywhere, all he needed was a mirror.


	12. .11

Hayley went back to Steve as if nothing had happened. She had come to the conclusion that if she alerted him every time he showed up with pointless words and unwanted touches, that Fury would practically be moving in with them. She’d only divulge the information if it was absolutely necessary. But she did have a sudden resolve to get rid of all the mirrors in her apartment—but then it would look suspicious and people would start to ask questions…  
  
Then again, she thought as she waited for Steve to flag down a taxi, the fact that Loki could travel by mirror was probably something that should be shared. When Steve finally hailed a cab and the two sat inside, he gave the cab driver her address and placed his hand on her thigh. She wasn’t sure if he realized he had done it but he didn’t seem shy or ashamed of how his hand was placed. His fingers had slipped between her legs, and the tingling sensation in the bottom of her stomach intensified.  
  
She couldn’t recall if Steve had had too much wine or if he was just suddenly feeling friendly tonight but when he leaned back and looked at her she lunged at him. He was taken by surprise but he didn’t pull back. Instead his hand left her thigh and tangled in her hair, while the other wrapped around her waist. Hayley was having a hard time containing her excitement and hastily threw her leg around his waist so that she was straddling him. Steve let a low groan escape his throat and Hayley couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips.  
  
His hands sat on her waist, one slowly moving up to grasp the side of her face. They reached their destination almost too soon. Hayley had an inane fear that once they left the cab the mood would be ruined and it’d be like it never happened. But Steve tossed a bill at the driver and looked at Hayley with a strange sort of hunger in his eyes.  
  
“Come on,” he murmured, grabbing her wrist and tugging her inside. The two rode the elevator in silence, but the tension between them was almost palpable. When they reached her apartment, she fumbled with her keys to get the door open and the second it inched open Steve had her pressed against it.  
  
Their lips collided and she struggled to rid him of his shirt. There was desperation behind their movements and somehow Steve still remained a gentleman as he tore her dress off. They heard the fabric rip and Steve was instantly apologizing and telling her he’d buy her a new one. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he hoisted her off the ground and carried her to the bedroom.  
  


                               

  
  
Hayley woke up wrapped in sheets. The fabric felt odd against her naked skin and when she turned over she saw Steve lying beside her. She couldn’t help but stare at him, the way his chest was rising up and down with every breath and that spare bit of sheet that covered him. She found herself reminiscing, and couldn’t believe just how wonderful it had felt to finally be with Steve.  
  
For someone who was a 75 year old virgin, he seemed to somehow know what he was doing. But still he remained ever the gentleman, in ways that ended up making her appreciate the wait. She glanced over at her dresser, spotting the mirror that she had hastily covered with a spare bed sheet.  
  
She probably would never get over the feeling of being watched, and even with it covered she felt like Loki could see through it. Most likely, he had somehow managed to watch the entire events of last night and yet the thought hardly occurred to her.  
  
Steve shifted in bed then, rolling over until he was nearly hanging off the bed. She stifled a giggle, and stood up; placing the sheets she had over his naked form. She found the shirt he had worn the night before hanging on her bedroom door. She took it and put it on, just buttoning it up when someone grabbed her from behind.  
  
“I think it’s time you and I really got to know one another,” said a cold voice in her ear and then everything went black.


	13. .12

Several pairs of eyes opened that morning to find that they were alone. They were not beside whom they had fallen asleep next to and at first they assumed that their partner had simply gotten up and left. There was no sign of a struggle, and no sign that anything had gone wrong. But when Steve Rogers awoke to an empty bed and found that it wasn’t just his bed that was empty he knew that something was wrong.  
  
Hayley was not the type of person to just disappear like that especially from a night like that. Steve still was shocked with himself for being so bold—in fact he was shocked with himself for having enjoyed it.  
  
Hayley was gone and Steve knew that it wasn’t for a simple morning breakfast run. He grabbed his cell phone to call her, only to find that her cell phone was still in the apartment. Under the couch actually from the way she had flung her purse across the room when they had gotten back.  
  
So he waited. Maybe she had just forgotten her phone and really was running an errand. He refused to think the worst. So he sat on the edge of his bed mattress, twiddling his thumbs and replaying the events of last night as well as possible scenarios to explain her sudden disappearance.  
  
By the time he had finally left the apartment to alert Stark the feeling of dread in his gut had intensified, leaving him feeling ill. He arrived at Stark Industries, but realized he wasn’t the only person who had woken alone. Everyone was gathered in the living room—everyone but Natasha. Clint was pacing the room, his fingers plucking the feather from one of his arrows.  
  
“He’s taken your girlfriends,” scoffed Tony, crossing his arms and leaning against one of the pillars in the center of the room. “How creative.”  
  
“You might want to check in with Pepper, Stark,” Steve said, scowling at Tony’s lack of concern. “Hayley is gone too.” A brief look of concern crossed Tony’s face but he took his cell phone from his pocket and left the room. Steve faced the rest of the men. “Jane and Natasha are gone as well?”  
  
“She’s off the radar,” Clint said. “When I was sent to track her down, I planted a GPS on her just in case she decided to go off course. But…it’s gone, there’s not a blip on the radar. I don’t know where’s he’s taken them.”  
  
“Is there a way you can check Asgard, Thor?” Steve said, turning the ferocity of his glare on the demi-god. Thor shook his head slowly.  
  
“The only way for Loki to return to Asgard is by the Bifröst—and it was destroyed long ago,” Thor muttered. “Any activity in Asgard I would be notified of,” he added as an after thought.  
  
Stark had come back, his face seemed to have lost some of its color as well as his sarcasm. “Pepper’s not answering.” He swallowed and then glanced around. “But that doesn’t mean some freak in horns _kidnapped_ her. She’s a very busy lady.”  
  
“I think, at this time, it’s safe for us to assume the worst,” said a new voice, from the back of the room. Fury stood in his usual black attire, his permanent frown appearing even more pronounced. His arms were folded across his chest as he wandered deeper into the room, taking in the distraught appearances of his Avengers. “We’re down one member, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find and take Loki down. He’s chosen a spot that will leave us weak—our heart. Loki knew the last time he tried to take control of Earth that the heart is the weakest part of us. He used it to control Clint and now he’s doing it again.”  
  
There was a stifling silence in the room. Every man in that room was furious—furious about the way these women made them feel and furious that Loki knew what it would do to them to lose them. Fury gauged each and every expression before continuing.  
  
“There is a way to find Loki—there is always a way. We _will_ find him and we _will_ get back what is ours. Then we will take him _down_.”

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR INFINITY WAR
> 
>  
> 
> Whoa, I wrote this shortly after the first Avengers movie came out and I developed a huge crush on Loki. The is sin honor of his death. I hope you enjoy!


End file.
